27 May 2017

MOSCOW – The Philippines and Russia have vowed to contribute to efforts to maintain peace and development in Asia Pacific as Moscow seeks closer ties with countries in the region.

President Rodrigo Duterte and Russia President Vladimir Putin have agreed to work together to promote cooperation in the region and to create an environment conducive for growth.

“The Parties reiterated their readiness to further enhance cooperation in the Asia Pacific region and on the international arena on the whole aimed at the creation of favorable conditions for economic growth of both States and contributing to maintaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region,” the two leaders said in a joint statement on Duterte’s visit here.

Duterte was forced to cut short his four-day official trip here after terrorists from the Maute group attacked parts of Marawi and held hostage several civilians.

He was supposed to stay here until May 26 but left for the Philippines two days earlier.

Despite Duterte’s decision, the signing of several cooperation agreements, including those on security and trade, pushed through to strengthen the ties between the two countries.

Duterte and Putin cited the importance of sustaining efforts to shape a security architecture in the Asia Pacific region that is “open, transparent, inclusive, and rules-based in accordance with international law, including the principle of equality.”